Traveling the Lavender Route in Provence

We are entering the bloom season for lavender in Provence, and if you have never stood amidst the blanket of purple and breathed in it’s fragrance, than you have missed out on a amazing experience!

“The Lavender Route” in France connects over 2,000 producers of the plant, which is primarily used in perfumed and medicinal products. It’s scent is said to help “relax” you for sleep, and some people even tuck in a little sprig beneath their pillow or pillow case just for that reason. But for me, it’s the blanket of purple set against the blue provencal skies that that blow me away.

There are a lot of charming villages along the lavender route. Beautiful places like Manosque, located between Aix en Provence and Dignes, or Avignon, are great places to base your day travels from. Avignon has some interesting history and intriguing things to see since this is one of the few French cities to have preserved its ramparts. One of the most interesting sites is the palace of the popes (Palais du Papes), where from 1309 to 1423 the Vatican princes of the catholic church were exiled. With the excellent high speed rail system in France, we were able to spend some time in Paris, and then take the high speed train to Avignon, arriving in just under 3 hours.

No matter where you decide to make your temporary “home” in Provence, exploring the beautiful lavender fields as well as the other charming villages in the South is easy and will afford you some beautiful views of the landscape of Provence.